Manager's reaction: Tom Humphries hears why Brian Kerr viewed last night's scoreless draw as satisfactoryTom Humphrieshears why Brian Kerr viewed last night's scoreless draw as asatisfactory result

Not long before half-time in Bydgoszcz yesterday the television monitors in the press box switched from match coverage to snowy static. Nobody demurred. Nobody reached for the button. Nobody improvised bunny ears. We liked the static.

Bydgoszcz without "the boy" was that bad.

For quite a while as the Irish warmed up in the Zawizwa Stadium the PA announcer droned in guttural, vowel free Polish about Roy Keane and Alex Ferguson and Manchester United. Quite the soap opera apparently. On and on in mysterious Polish it went with just the names recognisable.

Tantalisingly the phrase hasta la vista was used on several occasions. We asked a local what it had been about. He knew as much as we do. He shrugged and moved his hands in the air conveying the impression that Roy is about as tangible a presence these days as the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny.

Well known but seldom seen.

Without Keane and, indeed, without many faces we could pick out of a line-up, the interest level dropped and the Irish declined to take emergency action to restore it.

The highlight of the first period was a Mark Kinsella ball which he canted from the pitch over the athletics track and the Irish bench and into the press box where it knocked over a cup of coffee. Suddenly awoken, we went wild with excitement. Then the tedium resumed.

Afterwards, we gathered around Brian Kerr like disappointed children. No Keano. Now this. We're owed a treat. "Satisfactory in the circumstances. We had 11 players withdrawn and four or five who weren't even available. In those circumstances it was satisfactory. Poland were near their best team. We were blooding young players who have a lot of potential."

Needless to say the manager looked on the bright side

Still, we saw some things we didn't expect to see. The Polish cheerleaders were a treat, all dishwater blonde above their fake tans, they Mexican waved like mad all through the game as if they were watching a different, altogether more exciting event in their heads. All spangly and goose-pimpled, like refugees from a Paddy's day parade in the '70s, they reminded us of home.

Even the Polish Army band gave the evening some ooompa pa-pa which the game couldn't provide. They gave Glenn Miller a little run out at half-time, tactfully steering clear of In The Mood. And in the far corner of the ground the locals made their own fun, fans of various clubs faction fighting with each other as hundreds of riot police trotted back and forth.

We had by, way of consolation, the chance to study the form of the putative new Keano, Liam Miller. It has to be said that the future is compact.

Miller, Andy Reid and Mark Kinsella made up 75 per cent of the Irish midfield and they were dwarfed by Steven Reid. The lack of stature is more than just a mere defect of ornamentation. We didn't look especially imposing but Brian Kerr isn't unduly worried. He's always had a soft spot for the knacky player.

"You look at the midfield with Mark Kinsella, Steven Reid, Andy Reid, Liam Miller. That's a lot different to what we have had recently. They had to integrate. That's a factor.

"We needed to use the ball better. The pitch was too grassy. Ball didn't move well for either team. It meant there was less risk taken in the first half, we played it forward too early. In the second half we were better but not at the level we would like."

Miller did enough. A couple of dinked passes to Clinton Morrison in the first half. A curler just over the Polish bar on the hour. A work rate which you know who would be happy with.

"He did well as the game went on. Himself and Mark got a hold of it in the second half. We knew they would be a physically strong team and would push us about in the second half, which they did. He used the ball reasonably well at times."

The themes from the manager's bench were different. If the game never threatened to explode at least things became more comfortable and assured after the break.

"I think the lads got more comfortable as the game went on. Early on we didn't want to lose anything. They played three in the middle with the 10 sitting and picking it up off the back four. They made very few chances. They were the home team, the onus was on them."

For the manager this fitted the bill in terms of getting away from the comfort zone. A passionate environment. Away fans. No easy decisions. The pride of the night was the defence.

"They got in wide a couple of times on the left side. The back four were very sound for us. Kenny (Cunningham) made his usual interceptions. Himself and Gary (Doherty) were very sound."

At the plastic picnic tables under the stand Brian Kerr shrugged his shoulders. This was a managers' sort of game.

"We've no injuries. I'm more than happy with the week's work. It was difficult in the beginning especially with the pull outs. Very unsettling. Especially the last three or four to pull out.

"We only had one good session over here but they'll go back to their clubs fit and well and we did well. Another decent result."

It was that sort of night. One for a manager. We saw a dull game. Brian Kerr saw a goalless draw achieved by an understrength side away from home.

Nobody saw Roy. One to put down to experience.